I struggle with John Calvin writing that God created people to go to the lake of fire (Institues, Volume 3, Chapter 21, Section 5). How could a loving, merciful, and gracious God create people so that they will burn forever in the lake of fire? It may be a sovereign act but I fail to see the love. I can understand punishment following the crime, but to create with the intention of suffering before the crime is difficult to comprehend.

Can you please edit this to quote the specific sentences from the Institutes you're asking about, including telling us which translation you're reading?
– curiousdanniiOct 25 '18 at 22:16

Thanks. ccel.org/ccel/calvin/institutes.pdf Page 770 "All are not created on equal terms, but some are preordained to eternal life, others to eternal damnation; and, accordingly, as each has been created for one or other of these ends, we say that he has been predestinated to life or to death."
– Travel2LearnOct 26 '18 at 0:20

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– Nathaniel♦Oct 26 '18 at 23:22